Men's Basketball Downs John Jay 92-66 In Season Opener

BOSTON, Mass. — Forwards Elijah Kinney (Nashville, Tenn.) and Marcus Montagnino (Gloucester, Mass.) led the Endicott men's basketball team past John Jay, 92-66, in Friday evening's 2025-26 season opener from the Jean Yawkey Center.

All five starters scored 12+ points for the Blue and Green in the 26-point win.

Returning for his second season with the Gulls, Montagnino registered a 20-point, 10-rebound double-double while shooting a scorching 9-12 from the floor (75% FG). He also dished out five dimes and picked up a steal on the evening.

In his junior season debut, Kinney did not disappoint with a 16-point (5-8 FG, 1-1 3PT, 5-5 FT), 10-rebound, two-block performance. He did all of that in just 24 minutes of action.

Freshman guard Caden Sullivan (Franklin, Mass.) and senior guard Matt Boen (Mansfield, Mass.) each posted 13 points, while Jeff Hill (Lynn, Mass.) kicked off his senior campaign with a 12-point evening, rounding out the double-digit scorers for the Blue and Green.

Trailing 9-7 out of the gate, the Gulls responded with an 11-3 run to grab hold of an 18-12 advantage with 14:08 remaining in the first half. 

Sullivan powered the run with two triples. He ended his collegiate debut three-for-seven from beyond the arc, and also stuffed the stat sheet with four boards, two dimes, a steal and a block.

After the Bloodhounds brielfy regained a 24-21 lead, Kinney turned the tide with an and-one tip-in layup to even things up. The two teams traded baskets for much of the remainder of the half, until back-to-back layups by Boen put the Gulls up 39-34 with 30 seconds remaining.

Montagnino gave the Blue and Green some momentum heading into the break, as he floated in a teardrop to put the Gulls up by six (41-35).

Out of the break, AJ Forte (Peabody, Mass.), Montagnino, and Cam Keliher (South Hampton, N.H.) propelled Endicott to a 9-2 run (14:27-12:10), and from there, they did not relent.

Up 57-50, Sullivan and Hill combined for a 10-0 run (9:52-8:51) to put the Gulls up 17. 

Three late deep-balls from Forte (two) and Carter Koenig (Glen Ridge, N.J.) (one) iced the game, and the Gulls closed out their inaugural win of 2025-26 by a score of 92-66.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Sullivan's 13 points were the most by a freshman in a season-opener since Jalen Echevarria '24 (Lynn, Mass.) on November 13, 2019 (22 points).
• The Gulls shot a red-hot 12-26 (46.2%) from three-point territory.
• Boen recorded a career-high five steals on the night. 
• Endicott held John Jay to just 34.4% from the field and 33.3% from deep.
• Reece Goodman (Binghamton, N.Y.), Andrew Mitchell (Roxbury, Mass.), Romans, and Sullivan made their Endicott debut's in the win.

WHAT'S NEXT

Endicott (1-0) takes on Baruch tomorrow night back at the Jean Yawkey Center for a 7 PM matchup. John Jay (0-1) takes on host Emmanuel at 5 PM tomorrow night. 

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(Photo Credit - Kaeli Talora '25)